I actually bought my ticket for the BlogHer 2012 conference in New York City months ago but I never announced it here. It’s not earth shattering news or anything. Then I figured that maybe I should make a little announcement just in case any readers or other bloggy friends were going so that we could arrange to meet in person. This is all part of my New Year’s Resolution to have more fun. It was a total blast to go visit Detroit earlier this year and meet up with dozens of other bloggers. In New York there will be a pool of thousands of bloggers to meet, chat up, and attend parties with. Plus, it’s the Big Apple. What could be more fun?

Well, actually I am not sure because it will be my first BlogHer but I am pretty sure it will be  blast. I made a deal with myself that I would not do any business trips or blog conferences until my kids were older. That way it wouldn’t be extremely hard on them or anyone that I enlisted to help care for them. It made me sad to pass on opportunities to travel (which I LOVE) and be more sociable with bloggers and brands but the mom part of mom blogger had to come first. Anyway I started blogging when my middle child was a newborn and now my youngest just hit lucky number six last month. It’s time to get out there and have a bit of fun.

If you are going please leave a comment on this post. I would love to know who to look out for! I would also love to hear any tips you have if you have been before.

I am also looking for a sponsor or sponsors… maybe. I say maybe because I am pretty picky about who I work with, what with all the greenwashing that goes on, but I know there has to be a potential fit out there somewhere and I am willing to chat about partnerships.

Hope to see you there!

One of the really fun things I got to do on my trip to Detroit for the auto show (NAIAS ) was go to the Henry Ford Museum. I got to see an exhibit that has not opened to the public yet AND had a catered dinner right there among all the amazing cars. I felt kinda bad being there without my Dad though… he would have loved it! I did however, get to have dinner with some amazing green mom friends.

As a big history buff I just love museums so this was right up my alley even if cars really aren’t.

The highlights for me had to be the car Kennedy was in when he was assassinated…

The chair Abraham Lincoln was sitting in when he was assassinated…

And Rosa Park’s Bus.

We even got to sit inside the bus. Amazing.

My daughter thought Kennedy’s car and Lincoln’s chair were morbid when I showed her the photos. It was a very solemn experience seeing them and one I won’t soon forget. That is what I love about history, how it can reach out and grab you, and make you teary eyed even many years after the fact. It makes us think, and remember, and think some more. It makes us wonder what we would do if we were put in certain historical situations. Would we be that brave? Would we be that honorable? Would we stand for that injustice?

#FordNAIAS

** Ford Motor Company paid for my travel and accommodations at the 2-day Innovation and Design Fantasy Camp event, I was not compensated in any other manner for my time. Opinions posted here are my own.**

I don’t typically make New Year’s resolutions but I am feeling rather inspired for 2012. I had two goals for 2011 that I set for myself on March 1st (does that count?) to really concentrate on fitness and exercise and to also make more time for me. I guess I just decided that I needed to allow myself to be more than a mom now that my kids are getting older. I blew those goals out of the water and since I am feeling pretty empowered by those successes I think it is time to set some more goals. No time like the present right?

January is named after the Roman god Janus, god of doorways and thus January is the door to the year. Janus had two faces, one to see the past and one to see the future. Likewise we can reflect back on the previous year, learn from our failures and successes, and look to the future with exuberance.  This is the month we spend looking inside ourselves to set a path for the year and prepare for our journey with focus.

My goals for 2011 are still very much in effect. I will keep on hitting the gym and exercising. I will also keep carving out time for me. But I have some other goals too.

This year I resolve to…

Have More Fun

I was bemoaning the fact that I didn’t take many photos in 2011 but honestly we didn’t do much photo worthy stuff. I had grand plans but I let it all fall apart when life got busy. We had a big illness (ie cancer) within the extended family and my husband worked tons of overtime. The only thing even remotely close to a vacation for us was a day trip to the Hocking Hills. I also turned down several fun business travel opportunities because I felt my kids were still a wee bit too young for me to be away (been doing that for years). This year needs to be different. We will take a real vacation and I will make sure my family fun plans actually make it out of the planning stage. I will also travel for business and leave my kids in the reliable hands of my husband. For that to happen it would help if I…

Make More Money

I have a confession. I don’t work all that hard. I worked my arse off for several years when I was just starting my home business and ever since I hit a certain point in my income I have been happy to coast along doing the bare minimum. Yes, technically I earn more with each passing year but imagine what I could earn if I actually put some effort into it. I like to tell myself we don’t NEED more money but my husband has worked a little too much overtime for that to be true. I need to step up and earn the money I know I can make. If it turns out we don’t actually need the money, we can spend it on wants… like the aforementioned FUN. I hear DisneyWorld calling my name. Or we can send it along to our emergency savings and/or IRAs.

In order to make more money I think I need to buckle down and…

Get More Organized

I am sooo badly organized it is tragic and it has to change if I want to earn more money and remember all the fun events coming up that I want my family to take part in. I am sick of dropping the ball on opportunities because the pitches get lost in my email inbox or I just plain forget about a fun event in our hometown. I also need to spend less time on Facebook playing games and reading blog posts in my RSS feed that will not advance my goals. It would help if I knew exactly what I needed to be doing and make sure that was done BEFORE play time.

These 3 goals or resolutions are enough for now I think since my 2011 goals are still in effect… make time for me and also for exercise and fitness. To kick things off I am armed with a To-Do list that I print (on recycled household paper) each day. Each evening I brainstorm and figure out what needs done from blogging to cleaning the toilet. I keep it at no more than 15 things and I try to get everything checked off by the end of the evening. I also have a daily planner on my desk where I can write down all the fun family stuff I saw in the paper or online, even months out, so I will remember them. Above my desk I have a white board calendar with appointments, bill due dates, and work deadlines.

Also helpful are these 3 books. I hope to write more about them soon…

Organize Now!: A Week-by-Week Guide to Simplify Your Space and Your Life

Organize Now! 12 Month Home & Activity Planner

Organize Now! Your Money, Business & Career: A Week-by-Week Guide to Reach Your Goals

I also accepted a business travel opportunity in late 2011 and I leave in a few days. Woot! Plus I bought a ticket to BlogHer12 and reserved my hotel room in NYC for later this year. This year is going to be awesome. I just know it!

What have you resolved to do for 2012?

I started reviewing Conscious Boxes last month and fell in love with them if you recall. This month I got their holiday box and I got it at a discounted rate through a group buy place called Organic Soul. It is no longer available there but I will be keeping an eye there for more great deals. You can go to the company site if you want your own holiday box or if you want to order one as a gift.

On to the goodies! Here is a quick view of this jam packed box:

Berryplus – Is it strange that the thing that excited me the most when I opened the box was the circular container of laundry soap. I just couldn’t get over the cute packaging (contained 2 tubes for 2 loads of laundry) and the wonderful smell!It is 95% berry-based and 100% plant-based. The formula sounds awesome but the little microdoses will mean you have to recycle lots of little plastic tubes.

Chimes Orange Ginger Chews – I am not a fan of ginger candy usually (too hot for me) but wow, I really liked these orange/ginger chews. My husband thought he would luck into the whole bag since ginger candy is a fave of his but not this time pal.

Yummy Earth Organic Lollipop – My 5 year old lollipop expert got to test run this one. The verdict? Most delicious. Mom thinks they might be a much better alternative than candy canes this season.

22 Days Daily Mocha Mantra bar - This is a gluten free, soy free (thank you!) vegan protein bar made with raw and organic superfoods. The concept is that it takes 22 days of eating these to break your dependence on some other, inferior, food product. I love soy free protein bars so it was a hit with me for that reason alone but it also tastes really good, although it has a very strong coffee taste that initially put me off. Took a few bites to get used to. ;) Since there is no soy, it is based upon hemp and rice protein.

Sparklehearts Sparkly Body Lotion - We haven’t used this yet but we will! My daughter adores lotions, potions, and sparkly stuff but mom often nixes this stuff due to its toxic ingredients. Yeah, I am a big meanie. Anyway this lotion is petroleum free, paraben free, and phthalate free, and 99.6% natural. It uses natural mica for the sparkles and while I “may” nix that ingredient in a powdered product I feel comfortable allowing it in lotion form for my girlie. We will test out our little sample soon and this may end up in her Christmas stocking if she likes it.

ORAC Green Superfood from Amazing Grass – I already have a long term love affair with Amazing Grass. Anything they make is going to get a thumbs from me. The whole family actually… we heart them. Remember this video?

Mineral Fusion Mineral Body Lotion – We got the waterstone aroma and I am totally feeling as though I have entered some bizarre parallel universe. Between this Conscious Box and the last one I have slathered myself with more lotion than I had in 1 or 2 years combined I think. I kinda like it. And of course I love that it is natural and safe stuff.

drTungs Snap-On Toothbrush Sanitizer - This is a really interesting device. It supposedly releases all natural, anti bacterial vapors to kill germs and safely sanitize your toothbrush between brushings. You are supposed to replace after 60 days and it is also supposed to be 100% biodegradable though the packaging did not share what type of bioplastic it is made of. I will likely save this to use while traveling because we have a Violight to sanitize our toothbrushes and the whole family can use it.

Ostara Organics – Woot! This package had a small artist/mom biz feel to it. I also like the use of Ostara (Easter) in the name… has a pagan, earthy, goddess vibe and my oh my the included soy wax fragrance chunk smells good! The scent is “Colorado Holiday Wassail” I really wish I had a tart warmer so I could use it. May er.. have to buy one and keep this is stock.

Also loved the Lavender Mint Goatmilk Soap in this package.

Eat Cleaner Fruit + Vegetable Wipe - At first I thought these were handy wipes for kids but they are actually wipes for cleaning fruit and veggies before eating. I cannot see us using these but I will drop this one in my farmer’s market bag for when we can’t wait to to get home to sample the goodies.

Sacred Mountain Herbals Champa Vegan Soap – Infused with herbs and herbal tea and it smells delicious! Soaping up with this was a religious experience AND the paper that wraps it is seeded with wildflowers so we can save it and plant it in our garden. How fun is that?!! For pure magic and cleverness this may be my fave product in the box.

Uni-Fresh Cinnamon Air Freshener – This is made by Earth Friendly Products and it contains real cinnamon oils. The smell is yummy of course and it reminds me of the holidays. The timing for this was perfect because I was very sad this week to discover that my Aura Cacia Candy Cane spray was all gone and apparently discontinued.

Resveratrol from Reserveage Organics – Nice size bottle! I have heard some raves about this product but it not something I would have likely sprung for, even if I am “just” starting to get concerned about aging. It uses organic French red-wine grapes and wild crafted natural Polygonum cuspidatum root extract. This potent, rejuvenating blend with increased resveratrol levels, is supposed to maximize health benefits and reserve your youth naturally. Vegetarian and no soy (woot). I’ll give it try. Why not?

Yogi Tea – Got Bedtime and Green tea Kombucha blends. I am not a tea person but I am sure my hubby will drink these.

Justin’s Maple Almond Butter – oooh baby.. this is good. It splashes up a sliced apple for a great pre-workout meal. I cannot eat too much before I swim or run or I will get cramps but I still need fuel. Usually I just eat a small apple with some peanut butter but this product provides a nice change of pace.

Dropwise Aromatherapy Mister in Inspiration - 100% pure essential oil aromatherapy blend. Safe and gentle enough to use on your face. Spray it on your hair, your clothes, your linens, or just around you to cleanse the air and create an ambience. Smells very good!

Can you believe all of that was in this little box? Still lovin this concept…

I recently had the opportunity to do an interview with Sara Chana, IBCLC. She is a a New York based, international board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC), classical homeopath, herbalist, lecturer, author, wife and mother of seven children. She is a wealth of helpful information and advice. Enjoy!

1. What are some of the most prominent breastfeeding myths that you encounter?

It is amazing how many myths seem to circulate among new moms. One of the most common is that moms need to “drain” their breasts. It is true that some women will feel very full, nurse their babies, and then feel “empty” afterwards, but that is not necessarily true for most women. Some women never feel full, and never feel “drained”, yet their babies are satisfied after they have been fed. The truth is that a breast is never really “drained” because when milk is drawn out of a breast the brain receives the message to refill the breast again with milk. Therefore, rather than worrying about feeling empty or drained, a woman should give her baby the amount of milk the baby needs to feel satisfied and to produce six to eight wet diapers within a twenty-four hour period. If this basic guideline is followed, then the healthy mother’s breast and brain will learn how to adjust to the baby’s needs, regardless of the mother’s own sensations.

2. What tips do you think will help women overcome most breastfeeding obstacles they come across?

Some women give birth, plop their baby on the breast, and the mom and baby breastfeed happily for years without any problems. Unfortunately, that is not the typical scenario and most women and babies take a while to learn the art of breastfeeding. There are women who get sore nipples, while others have babies who do not seem satisfied, and some moms get engorged breasts. In general, the remedy to most of these problems is twofold. First, make sure that the baby has a good deep latch onto the breast, and then see to it that the baby is swallowing milk and not just hanging out. If this simple but essential advice does not produce the desired results, the good news is that most breastfeeding problems can be overcome with a competent lactation consultant, patience, and a good sense of humor.

3. Can childbirth affect the breastfeeding experience?

After twenty years of working with mothers and babies I can safely say that the birth experience does have an impact on the breastfeeding experience. Medication used during labor does seem to affect most babies, often making it more difficult for them to coordinate the suck-swallow-breath pattern that is necessary for a baby to master breastfeeding. This is not to say that some women who have fabulous labors and deliveries won’t have babies that don’t nurse well, or in the reverse, that women who have horrible labors and deliveries can have the best nursing babies. However, a woman should know that a baby usually needs to be very alert in order to learn how the breast works, and that both the medications given during labor, as well as the position of the woman during childbirth can impact upon that learning process, making it easier or more difficult for the newborn to breastfeed.

4. Does diet have an effect on breastfeeding?

It is fascinating to know that breast milk stays consistent in its vitamin and mineral content across the world, no matter what a woman eats. This means that if you were to test the breast milk of two moms whose babies are the same age, the vitamin and mineral content of their breast milk will be practically the same, even when the mothers’ diets are completely different. This is true because the body produces breast milk to match the needs of the growing child. Therefore, it is safe to say that it doesn’t really matter what the mother eats because the breast milk will be consistent and healthy according to the developmental needs of the infant. That said, many babies are, nevertheless, affected by what their mothers eat due to individual health issues. Some babies will get blood in their stools if the mother consumes dairy, while others will cry horribly if their mother drinks orange juice. Although each mother-baby dyad is different, as a general rule-of-thumb, it is best for moms to stick to a high protein and vegetable diet, with fruits and whole grains mixed in. (And please try to limit the dairy products. You don’t need to consume milk in order to produce milk.)

5. What advice would you offer to busy moms you have to juggle breastfeeding and an outside job?

Juggling breastfeeding and an outside job is definitely challenging. Some women are advised to rent a hospital-grade pump to leave at their work place, in order to pump while being away from the baby. This may work for some women, but not for most. Although there are women who are fabulous pumpers and can mechanically express ounces of milk while at work, there are others who cannot manage to pump at all, which leaves them majorly depressed. However, it should be known that the success of pumping depends on several factors. One of the factors has to do with the location of the milk producing ducts which are within the breast. Some women’s ducts are so far back into the breast that they are never properly compressed while pumping. Another factor to consider is how well the flange of the pump part fits the particular woman. The majority of flanges available fit only a very small percentage of the population, resulting in only a small number of woman who can properly pump. Finally, one must take into consideration the power of the pump itself. And there’s no way around this one, it’s just that same old story, the more expensive pumps do work better. So, my general advice to women is this: if you pump well, then pump when you are at work, but if you do not pump well, then just give your baby formula while you are at work and don’t stress yourself over it. But, still the most important advice is breastfeed and talk with your precious baby as much as you can when you are not working.

Many thanks to Sara Chana for taking the time to answer some questions!